The Best Israeli TV Shows to Binge to

March 2020

In times like these finding the little things that bring you comfort and make you smile might be the secret to keeping it together. So binging, together or alone, to some of the best Israeli TV series, translated into English, might be just the thing.

Here are the best 10 TV series originated from Israel to make your time in isolation more fun.

1. Fauda (Netflix)

“Fauda” means “chaos” in Arabic — and that’s precisely what the series depicts. The show is partly based on the Israeli army experiences of creator and star Lior Raz serving in the Duvdevan Unit, which is famous for its undercover operations. The show’s main character rejoins his old unit in an effort to capture a notorious terrorist. As he goes deep undercover and the operation progresses, reality gets muddier and it becomes hard to differentiate the hero and the villain.

2. Hostages |(Netflix)

“Hostages,” or “Bnei Aruba” in Hebrew, for a riveting, Israeli home-invasion thriller that is full of surprises. “Hostages” begins with an impossible dilemma: Dr. Yael Danon (Ayelet Zurer) must poison her country’s prime minister on the operating table, or the men who have laid siege to her house will murder her timid husband, bratty son and pregnant teenage daughter. The invaders’ motive remains inscrutable, but it’s only one of many mysteries on a show that is less interested in politics than in the choices people make — and the secrets that are revealed — in life-or-death situations. Tension runs high as divisions form within the Danon clan and among their captors, complicating the victims-vs.-villains binary and making each episode thrillingly unpredictable.

“Hostages,” or “Bnei Aruba” in Hebrew, for a riveting, Israeli home-invasion thriller that is full of surprises. “Hostages” begins with an impossible dilemma: Dr. Yael Danon (Ayelet Zurer) must poison her country’s prime minister on the operating table, or the men who have laid siege to her house will murder her timid husband, bratty son and pregnant teenage daughter. The invaders’ motive remains inscrutable, but it’s only one of many mysteries on a show that is less interested in politics than in the choices people make — and the secrets that are revealed — in life-or-death situations. Tension runs high as divisions form within the Danon clan and among their captors, complicating the victims-vs.-villains binary and making each episode thrillingly unpredictable.

3. In Treatment / BeTipul (HBO)

Credited with putting Israeli television on the global map, In Treatment is a direct adaptation of the 2005 hit series, BeTipul. The series follows a psychotherapist and his complex relationships with his patients. In Treatment was hailed as one of the best Israeli dramas of all time for its nuanced portrayal of those receiving treatment, the psychotherapist, and the professional treatment he himself receives. In Treatment has received several nods of recognition, including Emmy and Golden Globe Awards.

4. Homeland (Showtime)

Perhaps the most well-known of Israeli-television exports, Homeland became an international sensation in 2009 when its production rights were sold to 20th Century Fox. The political thriller follows CIA agent Carrie Mathison (Claire Daines) as she tracks a newly returned, and possibly turned, POW. Based on the Israeli series Prisoners of War, Homeland premiered on the American cable channel Showtime in 2011

5. The Baker and the Beauty” (Amazon Prime)

High production value, a gorgeous cast, lots of drama and even one cute overbearing Yemeni Jewish mom. What doesn’t this soapy show have? In this star-crossed romance, poor pita baker Amos meets Noa, an international supermodel and actress, and an explosive romance ensues. But Noa’s agent and Amos’ ex band together to try to break the two apart. Will true love conquer all? Watch and find out! In the words of Walter Iuzzolino, who selects free streaming shows for Channel 4 in Britain: “If TV is a drug, then this is an addictive, delicious medicine that’s guaranteed to make you feel better.” we concur.

6. When Heroes FLY (NETFLIX)

An emotional series that follows the lives of four friends who served in the army together. The four men shared a collective trauma that took its toll on their friendship and personal lives. The show takes place eleven years later when they travel to Columbia to find a friend they thought has passed. When Heroes Fly is a deeply profound series that examines PTSD while telling an incredible story of friendship. The Israeli TV series, available on Netflix takes place both in Israel and in Columbia and has been adapted from a book and recently won the best series at the Canneseries International Series Festival in 2018.

7. The A Word (BBC)

The A Word is the story of the Hughes family who work and love and fight like every other family. Then their youngest son is diagnosed with autism and they don’t feel like every other family anymore. They realize that if their son is ever going to communicate, they are going to have to learn how to communicate themselves. It’s a funny and thought-provoking series about parenthood and childhood.

8 Srugim (Amazon Prime)

Considered by some an Orthodox version of “Friends,” this series revolves around the lives of a group of single religious men and women living in Jerusalem. “Srugim” is a frank, moving and sometimes hilarious look into the dating lives of young religious people in Israel, with all of its challenges and pressures. It broaches a breadth of topics, from losing faith to divorce to feminism and even homosexuality. All three seasons are on Amazon Prime, so get cozy and settle in with this one.

9. Shtisel (Netflix)

Starring Michael Aloni as Akiva Shtisel, the artist misfit son of a prominent ultra-Orthodox family, and rising star Neta Riskin as his sister Giti who is stuck in a difficult marriage raising six children, Shtisel is a window into the world of ultra-Orthodox Jewry in Israel, examining the feelings, thoughts and everyday realities of those who have been born into world of profound spirituality, rules and roles that they are meant to dutifully fulfill. A fascinating and thought-provoking fictitious tale of a real-life closed off community, this series — which has now had its two seasons picked up by Netflix — is thoroughly interesting and poignant to watch.

10.Mixed Signals (Fox)

Mixed Signals is a new comedy series about three longtime friends and their attempts to reconcile the irreconcilable: to balance their relationships with their need for freedom. The series reveals how friendships and romances enhance – and further complicate – the lives of men and the women who love them.